Little Things
by viv-heart
Summary: Sirius/Minerva, non-magical AU, fluff A single kind gesture has the power to change your life forever.


**Dedicated to whover nominated my first Sirius/Minerva story Past, Present and Future for the Mischief Managed Awards 2017 in the cathegory Best New ship run by the Shrieking Shack Society (if you like Sirius/Minerva go and read it and vote!:D)**

 **Thanks to my beta Nantai and as always I would welcome reviews and concrit. Thank you**

Minerva took another sip from her Whiskey and checked her watch again, before returning to her book. Albus was late as always, but she wasn't going to let that ruin her evening.

She had barely read three sentences when she heard a glass hit the table and Minerva looked up, anticipating Albus in front of her. Instead, one of her students pulled out a chair and sat down while grinning at her.

"What are you doing here, Black?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Enjoying my drink," Sirius said and drank from his beer.

"You are underage," Minerva stated with a disapproving look at the beverage in his hand. "You shouldn't even be here, not to mention drinking."

"Relax, Minnie," Sirius gave her a cheeky smile, "it's just a beer."  
"I am your teacher, Mr. Black, if you have forgotten. I have to disapprove. You should go home."  
"I can't," Sirius replied calmly and started searching his pockets for something.  
Minerva rose an eyebrow. "Why can't you?" she asked, just as Sirius fished his lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his jeans.

Sirius hold the open pack to Minerva who looked like she wanted to snatch it away but couldn't as they weren't on school ground. He lit a cigarette before answering when he realised she didn't want any. "I don't have a home as of today. My dear mother kicked me out."

Minerva's brows furrowed. She had met Sirius' mother Walburga Black on several occasions in the past, mostly thanks to the pranks Sirius and his friends played, and knew therefore about the difficult relationship between the woman and her oldest son. She hadn't expected her to kick him out, though.

"What happened?" Minerva asked and took another sip from her Whiskey. God only knew she would need it.

Sirius shrugged. "Just the usual. We fought, I told her she was a prejudiced bitch and that I hate the family and she told me if I hated it so much, I should leave and never come back. That way I wouldn't be a part of the family anymore. So I took my things and left."  
Minerva's eyes narrowed. "I am not entirely sure if she kicked you out or you ran away."

Sirius shrugged again and drank some more.

"Where are you going to spend the night?" Minerva asked after a short pause, deciding to deal with the immediate problems first and with the causes later.

"Probably here," Sirius said and killed his cigarette.

Minerva sighed and pinched the back of her nose. She knew she was going to regret it, but she couldn't leave one of her students to spend the night all alone in a bar. God only knew what would happen. Besides there was school in the morning. "No, you are not," she said finally. "You are coming with me."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Where? And why should I?"  
"To my place," Minerva announced and downed her remaining Whiskey. "And because I have a shower and a guest room, which are certainly more comfortable than the hard benches here."

Sirius studied her for a long while. "Why are you doing this?" he asked finally. "I've done nothing but cause trouble for you. And don't start with some nonsense about being my teacher. Most of you guys don't really care and I am sure half of the teaching body wouldn't even bat an eye if I was found face-down in some alley come morning."  
Minerva sighed. While it was true that he was one of the most notorious troublemakers she had met during her teaching career, he was also one of the smartest and most creative students around. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit that he was currently her favourite student, maybe the most favourite she had till now.

"You need help right now and I am that kind of person who offers help to people who need it. Besides, I know you and actually like you if you aren't being a prat," she said finally.

"I am not a prat!" Sirius protested and Minerva sighed again. This would be a long night.

"Whatever you say. Now drink up so we can leave."  
"I didn't say I was coming with you," Sirius protested.

"Do you really want to spend the whole night here?" Minerva raised an eyebrow. "You are lucky they haven't called the police yet."  
"They don't know." Sirius grinned at her. "Fake ID."  
"Of course," Minerva ran a hand through her hair, that was open for once. "I am not even surprised."  
Sirius shrugged and finished his beer and Minerva stood up, looking expectantly at him, but the teen didn't move.

"Fine," Minerva pressed her lips together. "If you want to stay, stay. But I expect to see you at school tomorrow."

She turned to leave when Sirius spoke up again. "Wait," he said.

Minerva turned back to face him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes?"  
"It's not that I want to stay here at all costs," Sirius said uncertainly. "I just don't want to be a bother."

Minerva smiled at him. "You aren't, really. If it was a problem for me, I wouldn't have invited you and looked for another solution."  
Sirius nodded and stood up hesitantly. "If you are sure..."

"I am. Now come on," Minerva replied and set to leave the bar, Sirius following closely behind her.

Ooo

Next afternoon, Sirius was sitting at Minerva's dinner table together with the school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore, is best friend James Potter and said friend's mother, who were all staring at Minerva with wide eyes.

"As I said, I would rather that Sirius stays here than be handed over to the child protection service," Minerva crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Dumbledore defiantly. "They aren't trustworthy and older children especially are treated rather badly."

"That's not an option, Minerva," Dumbledore said calmly, ignoring her glare. "A student can't live with you. You could get arrested."  
"That woman should get arrested," Minerva hissed, the sole thought of Walburga Black making her angry. After Sirius had accompanied her home, he had told her some more about his childhood, lighting a passionate hatred for his mother in Minerva.

"That's not up to you to decide, Minerva," Dumbledore retorted.

"But the cops are a bunch of incompetent idiots," Sirius muttered and James grinned at him, while Mrs. Potter glared at him.

"You really should watch your language, Sirius," she said and Sirius just shrugged in response. He didn't even know why Dumbledore hat invited her along. Sure, James' parents liked him well enough but this wasn't their business. It was nobody's business but his.

"And that's why I've talked to Mrs. Potter here. We have agreed that it would be for the best if you stayed with them until we can contact your family and find somebody who would take you in," Dumbledore spoke up once again.

"I am not going to live with my family," Sirius said.

"And I've already told you, Professor, that my husband and I are willing to take in Sirius permanently," Mrs. Potter said quickly, her eyes not leaving Sirius, who relaxed slightly at that.

Ooo

It was the last day of school before the summer holiday and Minerva was cleaning her office when she heard a soft knock.

"Come in," she called over her shoulder, wondering who would want something from her at such a time.

To her surprise, nobody else but Sirius Black walked in, looking rather unsure of himself. It was quite the unexpected sight as it stood in sheer contrast to his usual cocky behaviour.

"Oh, Mister Black, please take a seat," she motioned to the chair in front of her desk.

"That won't be necessary," Sirius said and ran a hand through his long hair. "And please, call me Sirius. I've already graduated and it's just so odd."  
"Well, Sirius," Minerva said and leaned against her desk, watching him curiously. "What does bring you here?"

Sirius cleared his throat and looked her in the eyes. "I want to thank you. For you know," he trailed off, but Minerva understood.

He was referring to the incident two years ago when she picked him up at the bar and proceeded to have a huge fight with Albus, making sure that he could stay at the Potter's and Albus didn't force him to live with his family or call the children services.

"You are welcome," she smiled at him. "Even though you really didn't have to come all the way over here to thank me yet again. You have done it more than enough over the past years." And indeed, Sirius had thanked her quite a lot during the past two years as he stopped to chat with her during some of the breaks to the amusement of is friends.

"No, you don't get it," Sirius sighed, averting his gaze. "I actually thought of something. Minnie, have dinner with me," he said, before looking back up at her with hope in his eyes.

To say that Minerva was at a loss of words would be an understatement. She was gaping at him, pretty sure that she was hallucinating.

"I could be your mother, Sirius," she managed to say when she finally recovered from the shock.

"I am aware of that," Sirius replied. "But you aren't and I am of age and aware of what I am doing. I've been waiting for this for two long years and you are a wonderful person who spends too much time in this horrid place all alone, grading papers from ungrateful prats. It doesn't have to mean anything, even if I wish it would. But I want to thank you and you really need to go out more. So please, Minerva, have dinner with me."

Minerva hesitated. It was so wrong but Sirius was right, she spend too much time alone, especially since the fight she had over him with Albus.

"Alright," she said finally. "But just a dinner and it's only because you want to thank me, nothing else, understood?"  
Sirius beamed at her and walked over to her in two swift steps before kissing her on the cheek. "Understood, and thank you! I'll pick you up at seven," he said before practically running out of her office.

Minerva stared after him, a soft smile on her lips and a soft blush on her cheeks.


End file.
